Obviously a rotating roster has been one of the trademark features of the Avengers in the comics, as well as any other team. I'm told that Kevin Feige has already said that fans should expect a rotating roster of sorts but I thought I'd sound off about my opinions on the issue.

As much as I appreciate that people want to see their favourite Avengers on the screen and there is the precedent to have characters come and go; I would prefer that the core team remain the same going into the next film. As much as the Avengers sequel is going to be a continuation of whatever happens in other films such as Iron Man 3, Thor 2 etc, it's also got to be recognisably a follow up to The Avengers and as such it should build on the dynamics already established by that film.

I think it would be a mistake to shake up the roster between films and really think that the Avengers should be seen as an origin film in its own right. The sequels can then expand on everything already present, without retreading 'origin territory' by introducing new members and ditching old ones.

What does everyone else think? I accept that there will probably at least one additional member to the roster although I'd prefer there to be none. Are many people in favour of big shake ups?

Keep the team the same but add a new character that adds a new dynamic to the team.

Think Lando in ESB, Nightcrawler in X2, etc

More to the point: ESB successfully added Lando AND Yoda as two major heroes (as well as two prominent new villains, The Emperor and Boba Fett), and X2 added *three* new heroes (Nightcrawler, Iceman and Pyro).

If those sagas successfully added 2-3 major characters to the existing core group, it's safe to say that Avengers can do the same without alienating audiences.

Well Yoda didn't really join the group, he just mentored the lead for a bit. And neither the Emperor or Fett was prominent. Fett just looked cool for a couple scenes and I think had two or three lines of dialogue, while the Emperor was just in one scene. He had about as much of a "presence" as he did in Star Wars.

And I hate to use the whole X-Men ensemble as an example, as some of those characters really got screen time at the expense of Cyclops.

What is there to rotate out for two? It's has to be assumed everyone who is getting a sequel is going to be in the avengers I don't think a rotating roster makes sense until there are way more characters and if they are to switch swop people take out widow and hawkeye most logical... No Thor Cap or Ironman Hulk makes no sense for me in the second film if it ain't broke don't fix it

Hulk can leave the team, maybe Hawkeye and Black Widow can leave the team too.

Considering that Hulk stole the show in [I]The Avengers[I/], I honestly dont see that happening. Hawkeye and Black Widow could leave too. But with Scarlett getting paid tons for Avengers 2, I think its obvious that she's sticking around. I would still want Hawkeye around just because I think he needs more development.

None of them should or will leave the team. You don't want an X-Men 3 where Nightcrawler is never mentioned and Cyclops is shat on in the opening moments.

The problem with Black Panther or Ms Marvel or Dr Strange showing up is they really do need their respective origin movie(s) first to be done justice. And it doesn't look like Marvel will be working on any of them before Avengers 2.

None of them should or will leave the team. You don't want an X-Men 3 where Nightcrawler is never mentioned and Cyclops is shat on in the opening moments.

The problem with Black Panther or Ms Marvel or Dr Strange showing up is they really do need their respective origin movie(s) first to be done justice. And it doesn't look like Marvel will be working on any of them before Avengers 2.

None of them should or will leave the team. You don't want an X-Men 3 where Nightcrawler is never mentioned and Cyclops is shat on in the opening moments.

The problem with Black Panther or Ms Marvel or Dr Strange showing up is they really do need their respective origin movie(s) first to be done justice. And it doesn't look like Marvel will be working on any of them before Avengers 2.

I think that's why making the Ant-Man movie before Avengers 2 (I hope the LR rumor is true) is so important--it's the best chance MS has at properly introducing one or two worthy additions to the team without improperly shoehorning people into the solo sequels (like Dr. Strange in Thor 2 or Black Panther in Cap 2).

This isn't a comic book or graphic novel series. it's a film series. Those are two completely different things. You have to keep the core group together. You can add a couple in, but you can't take away from the originals or their impact to the series.

Tertiary Support Characters as "Part of the Team":
Hank Pym (Primarily as a SHIELD scientist/researcher, NOT always as Ant Man/Giant Man/Yellow Jacket)
Janet Pym (Primarily as a SHIELD scientist/researcher, NOT always as Wasp)
Black Panther (Only in a story line that involves Wakanda, NOT a "member" of the team)

I like Dr. Strange, but when you already have the deep personalities of Stark, Rodgers, Thor and Banner, and you talk about throwing in the Pyms, Thanos, possibly Ultron, and maybe even Black Panther, you dont need to add the complexity of Dr. Strange too. Just my opinion.

Blehh... Doctor Strange over Black Panther any day. Over any mention of Ultron too.

Strange isn't around for his complexity. He's there because he is mysterious. More powerful than most everyone you just listed. If he exists in this universe, they can't afford to challenge these threats without him.